Play to Win
by MeD20
Summary: Quinn Arabor lives life competitively, especially when it comes to Quidditch and she isn't going to let one James Potter get in her way. She always plays to win.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my own characters and story line.**

 **(Also I realize that this first bit isn't romantic or humorous, but I promise it's coming)**

I'm crashing through the forest, running so fast that my sides are in stitches but I can't stop. Flashes of light blast by me. Branches scratch at my face and arms, drawing blood but I don't try to avoid them. All I need to do is to get as far away from here as possible. They're gaining on me, I can hear it.

My footing is sure as I bound over a small stream as I continue to race through the forest. I can see the clearing just ahead when a root catches my foot and I tumble. I throw my arms out in front of myself and a crack resonates through the forest as my right wrist breaks. Pushing myself back up with my good arm I don't dwell on the pain throbbing from my wrist.

I have to make it to that clearing.

My fall has allowed them to catch up and now they're almost on top of me. I can hear them crashing through the undergrowth right behind me as I burst into the clearing and in a flash of light, I'm falling forward with no control of my body. As I fade out of consciousness, I feel myself being lifted from the ground and hear them talk amongst themselves. I drift off and know nothing.

All I know is that five months ago something like this would have never happened.

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 **Hey, so I'm new at this and decided to give it a shot. Please let me know how I did and if you like it (or if you hate it haha)!**

 **I'll have more of it up soon! X-MeD20**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my own characters and story line.**

I know that I said that this whole situation would have been different five months ago but let me take you back just a little bit further. Back to the beginning.

My parents tell me that I was practically born with my first soccer ball and that I was inseparable from it since. I lived and breathed the sport spending all my free time out back perfecting my skills with my brothers. I'm competitive to a fault which is probably just a twin thing seeing that Connor and I constantly try to outdo each other; regardless of the importance of what we are actually competing over.

My competitive spirit and my family's collective obsession over soccer only got worse when we moved to London with my dad's company. Moving from South Carolina to London was a big change for my family but wasn't anything compared to Nick getting his Hogwarts letter. Connor and I were entranced by the world that we caught a glimpse of and hoped that one day we would be a part of it too.

When Nick came home on holiday, he brought the most exciting gifts home and the most enticing stories. That's when I first learned about Quidditch and have been in a committed relationship with the sport since. There was nothing more that I wanted than to be a witch.

Obviously Connor and I got our letters two years later, the summer after we were eleven and were on the train platform by September first, bidding our parents goodbye and promising to write. Like Nick, I got sorted into Gryffindor while Connor was sorted into Ravenclaw, which was no surprise. Our first year was gone in a blink of an eye spent learning loads with great friends and a ton of Quidditch training.

In my next year at Hogwarts, I was one of two second years to make the Gryffindor team, along with one James Potter, a cocky son of a bee sting. Minus him, the team was like my second family and I couldn't imagine my time at Hogwarts without them. I filled the hole left by a chaser and Potter, like his father filled the position of seeker.

I don't know why but sometimes I think of people as my rival or enemy without even having a problem with them in real life. It's a competition all in my head, that they have no idea about but drives me crazy when they succeed in something I don't. And this is what happened with James Potter and Quidditch, on the field we're incomparable because of our different positions and responsibilities (and the little fact that we play for the same team) but that doesn't mean that I could slack in any area of Quidditch whether physical prowess or game knowledge. This competition has continued on for the past five years without his knowledge, with only Connor and my dorm mates knowing of its existence. I had to win.

Bear, the family owl, had just dropped off the letters for our final year.

"CONNOR, GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE. OUR LETTERS ARE HERE." I screamed up the stairs. I knew he was awake because I may or may not have just jumped on his bed with him in it. Mom shot me a disapproving glance for the language to which I smiled back sheepishly.

"I'm here," he yawned groggily, "You know that you can open your letter without me being here, right?"

"But its tradition," I exclaimed, "You're telling me that you don't want to open our final letter together? After we've opened our letters together every single year?"

"It's too early for this Q, just open your damn letter," Connor grumbled.

"Okay, one, two…" I rip open the parchment of the envelope and dump the contents on the table. The papers fall out followed by a pin that thuds when it hits the table. I grab the pin from the table and quickly leaf through my papers.

"I'm captain," shouted Connor punching the air and dancing around. Nick clapped him on the back while my mother pulled him in for a hug.

"They made me a prefect?" I shook the envelope once more to see if another pin was stuck in it. There had to be the captain's pin in there somewhere. I've worked harder than Potter all five years, there is no way he was made captain over me.

With my family all watching me expectantly, I held up my prefect pin and tried to look pleased with it and completely failed. I didn't get the captaincy and I knew who exactly is as smug as I am bitter at this exact moment. There were a few weak congratulations from my family as I placed the contents of the envelope on the table, strode over to the door and laced up my sneakers.

"I'll be back in an hour or so," I called over my shoulder as I left the house. I had to blow off some steam and nothing better than going for a long and grueling run. If I didn't have the captaincy to lean on to help highlight myself as a player, I was going to have to work three times as hard to be noticed by professional teams. This is going to be a long year.

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 **And there is the next chapter! I'll try to have the next one up in a few days.**

 **Feel free to let me know how I'm doing! X-MeD20**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my own characters and story line.**

"You're going to miss the train Quinn. Are you ready yet?" I heard my mom call me from downstairs.

"Be down in a sec mom!" I shouted back as I scanned my room one last time to make sure I didn't miss anything. Wand, check. Robes, packed. Books and supplies, packed. Normal clothes, workout clothes, fancy clothes, packed. Quidditch gear, packed. Broom…?

"MOM, HAVE YOU SEEN MY-" I started but then quickly spotted the broom leaning by my window. "NEVER MIND!"

I grabbed my broom and did one more scan around the room, just to be safe. Before opening my door, I did a quick once-over in the mirror. Hazel eyes stared back at me as I made sure that my hair was behaving. I flicked a straight light brown lock over my shoulder and watched the sunlight play with the honey colored highlights. My family's vacation to the Mediterranean this summer, left my skin many shades darker than usual. I had increased my normal Quidditch regiment over the summer so I was toned and in shape, perfect for the start of season which was quickly approaching. I felt pretty confident with the girl that looked back at me, she looked beachy with her shorts and Chelsea F.C. shirt. I threw my door open and ran downstairs to greet my family.

The entire car ride over to the station was a little nerve-wracking for me, to say the least. I've been going to school with the same people for the past seven years now. You would think that I was over the first day jitters already but here they were running amok and wreaking havoc on my body. Clammy hands, check. Butterflies in the stomach, check. My leg was bouncing out of control with my nervous energy. I checked my appearance in the window for the umpteenth time and made sure that not a hair was out of place, I couldn't show the nerves that were eating me alive. That's a sure sign of weakness.

By the time we got to King's Cross, it was a mad house, the train was set to leave in ten minutes. Even though we were running like mad men to catch the train, mom forced us into the obligatory first day of school picture that she'd taken for the past six years. Her reasoning: _How can I tag us here at the station on Facebook if I don't have a picture of my darling daughter and handsome son?_

After humoring her with the photo, Connor and I kissed mom and our dad goodbye and promised to write. We dragged our trunks over to the area and dropped them off to be loaded onto the train. After boarding the train, Connor and I did the quick version of our handshake and split ways to find our friends. (It's a sibling thing okay, don't judge)

I'd been peeking into compartments for a while now greeting people I knew while looking for either my room mates or my team, so far no luck. I had just finished catching up with Stephanie when the train suddenly lurched into motion and launched me into the person I was standing next to.

They caught me with no problem and I couldn't help but admire how fit they were. He steadied me and I looked up to give him a proper apology and thank you for saving my life. Both of which died in my throat as I made eye contact with the prat.

"Potter," I nodded. My eyes catching the gleam of a pin on his chest.

"Arabor? I hardly recognized you!" Potter exclaimed, giving me a once over with his eyes. Gross. "Good vacation?"

"A marvelous break from you, I must say," I quipped back. "I'm really trying to start this year off on the right foot, so if you'll excuse me." I tried to edge past him and continue down the train.

"Not so fast there," he replied, blocking the corridor, his eyes glinting. "That's no way to speak to your captain, now is it? Shouldn't there be a congratulations due? I heard from everyone else on the team already but your owl must have gotten lost or something…" He trailed off and looked at me expectantly with that stupid smirk on his face.

"Please move out of my way before I do something you'll regret." I ground out, enunciating every word.

"Don't be a sore sport now Quinny," He continued on using his stupid pet name for me. "What I'm picking up on now, this sudden increase in hostility. This isn't jealously that I got picked to be captain and you didn't?"

"You're serious right now? Wow, okay, where to begin." I closed my eyes and kneaded the spot over my right eye that was throbbing. I only got louder as I continued, "I've worked my ass off every day for six years in hopes that one day that I would get that position. I wasn't like some people who just coasted on their talent, fame and a little bit of practice. That title could be the only thing that would get me noticed by the national teams because I don't have a mom who has already played in the league or a famous father that would peak their interest. So yeah I'm just a tad bit jealous."

Potter didn't even respond. He just stood there and took it, leaning against the wall of the corridor, arms crossed, stupid smirk on his face. He looked amused but his eyes hinted at other emotions.

"And let me be perfectly clear," I dropped my voice low and stepped closer to the prat, "if you don't take this team to victory this year and I don't get offers, you're dead."

With that I started to stalk away, only to have him catch me around the waist to prevent me from moving past him.

"I have every intention of winning the House Cup, to prove to you and everyone else that I was meant to be captain. So you better be ready to work." He stated quietly in my ear.

I shouldered past him and made my way down the corridor, trying to ignore all the blatant stares from everyone around us.

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 **And here is the next chapter! Sorry it took so long, with the holidays and family and what not, it's been crazy!**

 **I'll try to have the next one up in a few days! Feel free to let me know how I'm doing!**

 **Hope you all had a nice holiday and Happy New Year! X-MeD20**


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